Tape reel

ABSTRACT

A reel comprising a hub and axially spaced parallel said flanges, said hub having an inner ring formed with a central opening to receive a spindle, a web supported about the periphery of the inner ring upon which the flanges may be mounted, and an outer compression ring positioned between the flanges and surrounding said web and supported therefrom by resilient means.

United States Patent William H. Edwards St. Paul, Minn.;

Donald M. Lewis, Hudson, Wis. 838,954

July 3, 1969 Jan. 4, 1972 Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company St.Paul, Minn.

lnventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee TAPE REEL 5 Claims, 3Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 242/7l.8 A B65h 75/18 242/7l.8 A,

Int. Cl Field of Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,346,211 10/1967 Gruber t. 242/7 1 .8 A 3,485,456 12/1969 Weyrich242/71 .8 A

Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Milton GersteinAttorneyl(inney, Alexander, Sell, Steldt & Delahunt ABSTRACT: A reelcomprising a hub and axially spaced parallel said flanges, said hubhaving an inner ring formed with a central opening to receive a spindle,a web supported about the periphery of the inner ring upon which theflanges may he mounted, and an outer compression ring positioned betweenthe flanges and surrounding said web and supported therefrom byresilient means.

TAPE REEL This invention relates to an improved reel structure and inone aspect to a reel structure which will support the heavy loading andpermits the use of lighter and less expensive materials.

In the prior art, the reel structures for long lengths or large volumesof strip material, such as magnetic tape or thin films have requiredconsiderable strength in the hub sections to prevent them from beingcompressed or collapsed onto the spindle supporting the reel. Theproblem is particularly acute when the material being wound is very thin(approaching 0.0005) and is elastic, e.g. web material formed ofpolyethylene terephthalate. Winding tension from such material istransmitted to the hub as a compressive pressure and is cumulative witheach successive wrap causing the reel to collapsed or be crushed andpressed onto the spindle, thus causing the reel flanges to be distortedand move toward each other closing the tape path. This situation can bealleviated by reel hubs constructed according to the present invention.

Other reel structures are known in the art which are formed with groovesor slots affording some flexure of the reel under these compressiveforces, however, they do not close uniformly and thus do not retain theuniform circular winding surface as afforded by the structure of thepresent invention.

The reel hub and reel of the present invention comprises a hub throughwhich a bore is formed to receive the spindle and around which is formeda peripheral web for supporting axially spaced parallel reel flanges.Supported also from the web and positioned between the reel flanges isan outer compression ring upon which the tape is wound, which ring issupported by resilient means from the web. The resilient means may bebeamlike members which support the compression loading of the outerring, however, other resilient rings or members may be positionedbetween the web and the outer ring to absorb the compression loading.

The above and further advantages of the present invention will be morefully understood after reading the following detailed description whichrefers to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a reel constructed in accordance withthe present invention having portions of one flange removed to show theinterior parts of the hub;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the hub; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a reel 5having axially spaced parallel flanges 6 and 7 supported from a hubgenerally designated by the reference numeral 8.

The hub 8 comprises an inner ring 9 with an axial thicknesssubstantially equal to the axial thickness of the reel 5 and including aperipherally mounted web 10 for supporting the flanges 6 and 7. Theinner ring 9 has a central opening 11 formed to receive and support adriving spindle of a winding mechanism or of a reproducing, projectingor recording apparatus.

The web 10 extends around the outer periphery of the ring 9 and isformed with recessed areas 12 permitting a reduction in material andweight of the hub but is a generally continuous member having opposedaxial surfaces to which the reel flanges may be secured by sonic weldingsuch as illustrated by the weldments 13 in FIG. 3. Positioned betweenand spaced slightly from each inner face of the reel flanges is an outercompressible ring 14 having an outer peripheral surface 15 upon which astrip of material may be convolutely wound. As the strip material iswound around the compressible ring 14 under some tensile loading, theforces increase causing a tremendous radial inward compressive stress tobe applied against the ring 14 causing the same to be compressed and toshrink from its normal diameter, i.e., by 0.010 to 0.0l5 inches on areel with the outer ring having an internal diameter of 4.340 inches andouter diameter of 4.750 002 inches. To avoid this compression force fromaffecting the inner ring supported on the spindle, a resilient member ispositioned around the outer edge of the flange supporting web 10 of thehub 8 to support the compression ring 14. This resilient member in theillustrated embodiment generally comprises a rib structure comprisingmembers joined to the web and to the compressible ring and affordingdeflection of the members.

The structure illustrated comprises [2 equally spaced radially extendingribs or pillars 17 supporting a continuous resilient beam member 16, andsaid beam supports the compressible ring 14 from 12 spaced radiallypositioned ribs or posts 18 positioned between the beam and the innerdiameter of the ring and circumferentially spaced from, or positioned onthe beam intermediate, each pillar. The structure supports the outerring 14 as the compression loading is applied to the outer ring upon thewinding of a magnetic tape or thin film upon the reel. The compressionforces are taken up by flexure of the beam 16 between each of thepillars 17 from the loading transferred thereto by posts 18. The beamsor portions of beam member 16 between the pillars are capable ofwithstanding the compressive stresses applied thereto from the ring 14and deflect under the compressive stresses. When the stress is relievedthe beam will return to its original circular shape.

A suitable material for constructing the reel of the present inventionis a glassfilled styrene which is a common material used in the artwhere it is desired that shrinkage of the polymeric material after themolding operation be reduced. It is understood however that other lightmaterials such as aluminum may be used. The number of pillars or postsused with the resilient structure, as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, may vary in number, however supporting the outer ring from 12positions affords only a slight change in the outer peripheral surface15 and is much preferred over a lesser number, for example, three orfour posts, where the compressible ring could be caused to crush or failand form three or four lobes, thus making a substantial change in itsconfiguration.

Having thus disclosed the present invention what is claimed l. A reelhub comprising an inner ring defining a central opening for receiving aspindle,

a resilient beam member positioned around said inner ring,

an outer ring upon which a web is to be wound surrounding said innerring and said resilient beam member, and first support means forsupporting said resilient beam member in radially spaced relation fromsaid inner ring,

second support means for supporting said outer ring in radially spacedrelation from said resilient beam member, said second support meansbeing spaced circumferentially about said beam from said first supportmeans such that along any radial path between the outer periphery of theouter ring and the opening in the inner ring there is a discontinuity ofmaterial on at least one of the radially opposite sides of said beammember such that compressive stresses imparted to said outer ring as aweb is wound thereon will be restricted from the inner ring.

2. A reel hub comprising an inner ring defining a central opening forreceiving a spindle, an outer ring upon which a web is to be wound, aplurality of spaced pillars extending radially from said inner ring, acontinuous circular beam surrounding said inner ring and supported onsaid pillars, and spaced radially extending posts joined to said beam atpoints circumferentially spaced from said pillars and joined to saidouter ring affording a resilient support for said outer ring andaffording relative movement of the outer ring with respect to the innerring under the stresses imparted thereto by a web wound on the outerring and restricting transfer of said stresses to the inner ring.

3. A tape reel comprising a hub, said hub having an inner ring defininga central opening for receiving a spindle,

means secured to said inner ring for supporting axially spaced parallelreel flanges,

a resilient beam member positioned around said inner ring, 7

an outer ring upon which a web is to be wound surrounding said innerring and said resilient beam member, and

first support means for supporting said resilient beam member inradially spaced relation from said inner ring,

second support means for supporting said outer ring in radially spacedrelation from said resilient beam member, said second support meansbeing spaced circumferentially about said beam from said first supportmeans such that along any radial path between the outer periphery of theouter ring and the opening in the inner ring there is a discontinuity ofmaterial on at least one of the radially opposite sides of said beammember such that compressive stresses imparted to said outer ring as aweb is wound thereon will be restricted from the inner ring and saidmeans for supporting reel flanges, and

LII

spaced parallel flanges secured to said means on said hub for supportingreel flanges such that said reel flanges are positioned on axiallyopposite sides of said resilient beam member and said outer ring forconfining the web as the same is wound on said outer ring.

4. A tape reel according to claim 3 wherein said means on said hub forsupporting said flanges is a web formed about the periphery of saidinner ring, which web has an axial dimension less than that of saidinner ring, and which web supports said resilient beam member and saidouter ring.

5. A tape reel according to claim 3 wherein said flanges are axiallyspaced from said resilient beam member and said outer ring.

1. A reel hub comprising an inner ring defining a central opening forreceiving a spindle, a resilient beam member positioned around saidinner ring, an outer ring upon which a web is to be wound surroundingsaid inner ring and said resilient beam member, and first support meansfor supporting said resilient beam member in radially spaced relationfrom said inner ring, second support means for supporting said outerring in radially spaced relation from said resilient beam member, saidsecond support means being spaced circumferentially about said beam fromsaid first support means such that along any radial path between theouter periphery of the outer ring and the opening in the inner ringthere is a discontinuity of material on at least one of the radiallyopposite sides of said beam member sucH that compressive stressesimparted to said outer ring as a web is wound thereon will be restrictedfrom the inner ring.
 2. A reel hub comprising an inner ring defining acentral opening for receiving a spindle, an outer ring upon which a webis to be wound, a plurality of spaced pillars extending radially fromsaid inner ring, a continuous circular beam surrounding said inner ringand supported on said pillars, and spaced radially extending postsjoined to said beam at points circumferentially spaced from said pillarsand joined to said outer ring affording a resilient support for saidouter ring and affording relative movement of the outer ring withrespect to the inner ring under the stresses imparted thereto by a webwound on the outer ring and restricting transfer of said stresses to theinner ring.
 3. A tape reel comprising a hub, said hub having an innerring defining a central opening for receiving a spindle, means securedto said inner ring for supporting axially spaced parallel reel flanges,a resilient beam member positioned around said inner ring, an outer ringupon which a web is to be wound surrounding said inner ring and saidresilient beam member, and first support means for supporting saidresilient beam member in radially spaced relation from said inner ring,second support means for supporting said outer ring in radially spacedrelation from said resilient beam member, said second support meansbeing spaced circumferentially about said beam from said first supportmeans such that along any radial path between the outer periphery of theouter ring and the opening in the inner ring there is a discontinuity ofmaterial on at least one of the radially opposite sides of said beammember such that compressive stresses imparted to said outer ring as aweb is wound thereon will be restricted from the inner ring and saidmeans for supporting reel flanges, and spaced parallel flanges securedto said means on said hub for supporting reel flanges such that saidreel flanges are positioned on axially opposite sides of said resilientbeam member and said outer ring for confining the web as the same iswound on said outer ring.
 4. A tape reel according to claim 3 whereinsaid means on said hub for supporting said flanges is a web formed aboutthe periphery of said inner ring, which web has an axial dimension lessthan that of said inner ring, and which web supports said resilient beammember and said outer ring.
 5. A tape reel according to claim 3 whereinsaid flanges are axially spaced from said resilient beam member and saidouter ring.